Method and device for improving heaing aid fitting

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for improving a hearing aid fitting situation by means of providing a higher degree of user involvement in the fitting process, the method including simultaneous visualizing for a patient and/or a hearing professional the actual input and the setting of the hearing aid transfer function or the hearing threshold of the individual.

AREA OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of hearing aids and particularly tothe fitting of hearing aids to the need of hearing-impaired individuals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Usually the fitting of a hearing aid involves the adjustment of thetransfer characteristics of the hearing aid signal path to the actualhearing loss of the individual. The hearing loss is usually determinedin an audiometry test, which is well known in the field. Having made afirst setting of the hearing aid signal path according to the actualhearing loss, a fine-tuning of the hearing aid transfer function is mostoften performed. This usually involves the presentation of test sounds,which may be presented by the hearing aid professional or as a part ofthe fitting software program, where the sounds are presented to theindividual either alone or together with a visualization of thesituation from which the sound originates. The hearing professional mustin this process rely completely on the response from the hearingimpaired in order to evaluate the actual settings. This may be acumbersome process, especially in connection with first time hearing aidusers.

Moreover in the fitting situation a need exists for increased userinvolvement in the actual technical fitting process, which is desirousin order to make the individual comfortable and feel secure about thesituation and in order to achieve the best possible result in thefitting process.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a method, a system,a device and a software, which may provide improvement to the fittingsituation in respect of the above mentioned shortcomings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention the first aspect of the objective is achievedby means of the method defined in claim 1.

By visualizing the input and/or the hearing aid transfer functionrelative to the hearing threshold of the individual, the hearingprofessional will be able to evaluate whether the hearing impairedshould be able to recognize the input or not. Furthermore by simulatinghow the hearing aid in its actual setting will process the measuredinput and visualize this into a simulation or measurement of thepatients residual dynamic range, the hearing care professional canevaluate whether the hearing impaired should be able to tolerate theinput or not. Furthermore by visualizing for the hearing impairedindividual the input and the hearing aid transfer function or thehearing threshold of this individual, he or she will obviously to asignificantly higher degree be involved in the fitting process andactually be able to see, real-time or with a insignificant delay, whatcan and cannot be heard, and hereby enter into a more active dialog withthe hearing aid professional during the fitting process. This inherentlyresults in a fitting result that is improved compared to the methodhitherto used. Hence there is obviously an improvement in the fittingsituation and furthermore the possibility of reducing the timeconsumption in the fitting process while at the same time achieving thesame or an even better result of the fitting.

The dependent claims 2-4 depict preferred embodiments of the method.

When at least two displays are provided for display of information to apatient and to a hearing professional the patient may be involved in thefitting process in a convenient manner. Preferably a selectedinformation is provided at the patient screen to avoid confusion.

The display update rate is preferably less than 1 second, preferablymore than 0.1 second and less than 0.4 second. Hereby both the patientand the hearing professional may obtain the necessary information in aclose to real-time manner.

Further the actual microphone input, the amplification characteristics,the simulated output, the microphone output, the UCL, the MCL or the MCRcould be displayed in the same X-Y display. This add further informationto the fitting situation.

According to the invention the second aspect of the objective isachieved by means of the system as defined in claim 5.

By such system the same advantages as mentioned in connection with themethod may be achieved.

Dependent claims 6-8 depict advantageous embodiments. The advantagescorrespond to those in connection with claims 2-4.

According to the invention the third aspect of the objective is achievedby means of the device as defined in claim 9.

By such device as a part of a system as described above for performingthe method according to the invention the same advantages as mentionedin connection with the method may be achieved.

Advantageous embodiments are depicted in claims 10-12. The advantagescorrespond to those in connection with claims 24.

According to the invention the fourth aspect of the objective isachieved by means of the software as defined in claim 13.

By such software as a part of a system as described above for performingthe method according to the invention the same advantages as mentionedin connection with the method may be achieved.

Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. Theadvantages correspond to those in connection with claims 2-4.

The invention is described more detailed in the following description ofa preferred embodiment with reference to the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a system comprising a hearing aid and a fitting devicewith screen where a hearing threshold is displayed and wheresimultaneously the level of a hearing aid output signal is displayed;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed presentation of a screen where the output isshown.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

From FIG. 1 the system according to the invention appears in a schematicform. The system comprises a hearing aid, which is connected to afitting device. The fitting device comprises a hearing aid interfaceunit and a computer with a screen. The computer has in its memory adedicated fitting software allowing adjustment of parameters in thehearing aid controlled by the computer or the hearing professionalhandling the computer.

From FIG. 2 the screen display appears where the hearing loss of thepatient is displayed and where simultaneous the input, the amplificationcharacteristics, the simulated output and/or the microphone output isdisplayed in the same coordinate system. Combinations of two or more ofthese parameters may be chosen for simultaneous display.

For the purpose of facilitating the fitting process a patient displaycould be provided, where this in order to avoid misunderstanding coulddisplay to the patient only the data relevant for the patient and wherethe hearing aid professional could have a second display with fulldisplay of all data relevant to the fitting process.

1. A method for providing improvement to a hearing aid fitting situationwhere the method comprises simultaneous visualizing an output of thehearing aid based on a calculated or measured input to the microphoneand a calculated or measured hearing threshold of the patient.
 2. Amethod according to claim 1, where at least two displays are providedfor display of information to a patient and to a hearing professional.3. A method according to claim 2, where a selected information isprovided by the second screen for the patient, where the selectedinformation is defined by the hearing professional.
 4. A systemaccording to claim 2, where the display update rate is less than 1second.
 5. A system according to claim 4, where further the actualmicrophone input, the amplification characteristics, the simulatedoutput, the microphone output, the UCL, the MCL or the MCR is displayedin the same X-Y display.
 6. A system for performing the method accordingto claim 1, comprising a hearing aid and a fitting hardware comprisingsuitable software, where the hearing aid is corresponding with thehardware, where the hardware comprises a screen for display of data inconnection with the fitting and where on the screen a display of ahearing threshold as a function of the frequency is provided, where thehearing aid provides to the hardware data relating to the actual inputto the microphone of the hearing aid, where simultaneous or with a smalldelay these data relating to the actual input are displayed directly orin a processed form in the same display as the hearing threshold.
 7. Asystem according to claim 6, where at least two displays are providedfor display of information to a patient and to a hearing professional.8. A system according to claim 7, adapted for displaying a selectedinformation to the second screen for the patient, where the selectedinformation is defined by the hearing professional.
 9. A systemaccording to claim 7, where the screen update rate is less than 1second.
 10. A system according to claim 9, where further the actualmicrophone input, the amplification characteristics, the simulatedoutput, the microphone output, the UCL, the MCL or the MCR is displayedin the same X-Y display.
 11. A hearing aid fitting device comprising afitting hardware having suitable software, where the hearing aid isadapted for being connected with the hardware, where the hardwarecomprises a screen for display of data in connection with the fittingand where on the screen a display of the hearing threshold as a functionof the frequency is provided, where the fitting device upon receivingdata from a hearing aid data relating to the actual input to the hearingaid, is adapted for displaying simultaneous or with a small delay thesedata relating to the actual input are displayed directly or in aprocessed form in the same display as the hearing threshold.
 12. Afitting device according to claim 11, where at least two displays areprovided for display of information to a patient and to a hearingprofessional.
 13. A fitting device according to claim 12, which isadapted for displaying a selected information to the second screen forthe patient, where the selected information is defined by the hearingprofessional.
 14. A fitting device according to claim 12, where thescreen update rate is less than 1 second.
 15. A fitting device accordingto claim 14, where further the actual microphone input, theamplification characteristics, the simulated output, the microphoneoutput, the UCL, the MCL or the MCR is displayed in the same display.16. A fitting software for a computer comprising a screen for display ofdata in connection with the fitting and where fitting software isadapted for providing on the screen a display of a hearing threshold asa function of the frequency is provided, where the fitting software uponreceiving data from a hearing aid data relating to the actual input tothe hearing aid, is adapted for providing a display simultaneous or witha small delay of these data relating to the actual input directly or ina processed form in the same display as the hearing threshold.
 17. Afitting software according to claim 16, where means are provided fordriving at least two displays for display of information to a patientand to a hearing professional.
 18. A fitting software according to claim17, where the software is adapted for displaying a selected informationto the second screen for the patient, where the selected informationpreferably is defined by the hearing professional.
 19. A fittingsoftware according to claim 17, where the screen update rate is morethan 0.1 second and less than 0.4 second.
 20. A fitting softwareaccording to claim 16, where software is stored on a storage medium in acomputer or for use in a computer.
 21. A fitting software according toclaim 20, further adapted to display the actual microphone input, theamplification characteristics, the simulated output, the microphoneoutput, the UCL, the MCL or the MCR in the same display.